City cement place as one of England's greatest teams
The Independent|May 20, 2024
And so, some 136 years after the foundation of the Football League, England finally has a team who have done the quartet.
RICHARD JOLLY
City cement place as one of England's greatest teams

Manchester City are the first team to become champions in four consecutive seasons. Pep Guardiola has a historic achievement – another one, given the rare and unique distinctions he has engineered and amassed amid his own track record of unparalleled success.

There is a debate to be had about whether this City side are the greatest England has seen, but they can claim to be the most relentless. Since the Club World Cup, they have taken 57 points from a possible 63. If Arsenal’s excellence left them with little room for error in the run-in, City made none, finishing with nine straight wins, each by at least two goals. They have turned winning into a routine: across games, months, seasons and an era.

There remains the odd juxtaposition of 115 still unheard charges and the brilliance of the homegrown Phil Foden, but for now, the latter proved the determining factor. Anyone subscribing to the notion that West Ham could deliver Arsenal the title, the Premier League a seismic upset, and David Moyes a glorious farewell was swiftly disabused of it.

While City have endured final-day drama before, Guardiola’s prediction that this would be like the nerve-shredding last game against Aston Villa in 2022 proved very wrong. Mohammed Kudus produced a late contender for goal of the season, but only when City were already up. A goal ahead inside 80 seconds, two to the good within 20 minutes, this was a saunter in the sunshine. City were dominant, Foden rampant, his early double a further illustration of his capacity to score goals that are both important and excellent.

Denne historien er fra May 20, 2024-utgaven av The Independent.

Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.

Denne historien er fra May 20, 2024-utgaven av The Independent.

Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.

FLERE HISTORIER FRA THE INDEPENDENTSe alt
MOTLEY CRUISE
The Independent

MOTLEY CRUISE

From death metal in a sauna to mosh pits that rock the boat – literally – Kinza Shenn sets sail on a hardcore music voyage

time-read
4 mins  |
March 16, 2025
'Please make this 13-hour flight even longer, captain'
The Independent

'Please make this 13-hour flight even longer, captain'

Simon Calder explains how air passengers’ rights rules have unintended consequences, including delaying more planes

time-read
3 mins  |
March 16, 2025
RUNNING ON EMPTY
The Independent

RUNNING ON EMPTY

It’s now the norm to navigate the world in private bubbles – headphones in, strangers at bay. So Isobel Lewis decided to run with just her thoughts for a year and she was transformed

time-read
6 mins  |
March 16, 2025
I was trying to save baby wombat, claims influencer
The Independent

I was trying to save baby wombat, claims influencer

An American influencer who sparked outrage after filming herself taking a baby wombat away from its mother has defended her actions and said she was only trying to get it off the road.

time-read
2 mins  |
March 16, 2025
PM says peacekeeping force plans in ‘operational phase'
The Independent

PM says peacekeeping force plans in ‘operational phase'

UK will host military chiefs from ‘coalition of the willing’ on Thursday to create robust strategy to back Ukraine ceasefire

time-read
4 mins  |
March 16, 2025
Can Newcastle overcome weight of history to win?
The Independent

Can Newcastle overcome weight of history to win?

A Carabao Cup trophy may mean more to the Toon than Liverpool but often these games go to those who want it least

time-read
4 mins  |
March 16, 2025
‘A sibling's suicide is like an explosion in slow motion'
The Independent

‘A sibling's suicide is like an explosion in slow motion'

Novelist Richard Mason still hasn’t fully recovered from his sister’s death but, he tells Megan Lloyd Davies, it led to him creating a foundation which has transformed so many lives

time-read
7 mins  |
March 16, 2025
School inspector sacked for wiping rain off child's face.wins unfair dismissal case
The Independent

School inspector sacked for wiping rain off child's face.wins unfair dismissal case

A former Ofsted inspector sacked for brushing water off a child’s head was unfairly dismissed, the Court of Appeal has found.

time-read
1 min  |
March 16, 2025
'It's taken literally 25 years to get my head around it'
The Independent

'It's taken literally 25 years to get my head around it'

Boyband Five are reuniting to tour but – as J, Scott, Sean, Abz and Ritchie reveal to Hannah Ewens – they’re still dealing with the madness resulting from years at the top

time-read
10 mins  |
March 16, 2025
Trump expels 'race-baiting South African ambassador
The Independent

Trump expels 'race-baiting South African ambassador

The United States has expelled South Africa’s ambassador after accusing him of being a “race-baiting politician” who hates the US and president Donald Trump.

time-read
2 mins  |
March 16, 2025